Des Moines rejects 2 housing proposals amid ongoing shortage

Friction point: Both projects encountered opposition from neighbors.

State of play: The request of local developer Mitch Coluzzi of C-Build would have permitted 14 duplex-style homes (28 units) and three single-family homes on a 6.5-acre undeveloped property at 5600 SE 27th St., in the Easter Lake area.

• Neighbors pushed back on density and on whether the plan fit the surrounding single-family area.

Zoom in: The council also rejected a rezoning proposal to allow Grace Hands Homes to manage a home at 3820 11th St. as a six-person rooming house for veterans and older adults.

• A nearby resident raised concerns about safety, oversight and who might live there, despite saying he's generally "all about second chances for people."

The intrigue: Council Member Mike Simonson said he hopes more projects like those proposed by Grace Hands come before the council because they offer another option for older residents.

Yes, but: He voted in the unanimous decision to deny the zoning, saying he doesn't have confidence in this plan and noting concerns about its specifics, such as whether the bedrooms were large enough.

The big picture: Council members openly wrestled with how to encourage new housing while addressing neighborhood concerns.

• "We do have a housing crisis in our community right now. We lack places for people to live. We're dealing with the downstream effects of that," Council Member Rob Barron said.

What we're watching: Whether the council establishes clearer rules for group homes or "missing middle" housing and how future proposals are shaped or scaled back to avoid similar pushback.